System and method for automated configuration of a computing device

Abstract

There is provided a computer-implemented method, device and system for automatically configuring a computer device located at a particular location of an entity having an associated local network. The method, system and device further comprises: detecting from another computer device metadata characterizing the particular location; determining from the metadata whether the computer device requires configuration and if so, performing configuration steps of: automatically determining a device type for the computer device based on one or more connected peripheral devices, the device type defining a role of the computer device within the particular location; sending metadata comprising the particular location and the device type to a central server for requesting configuration of the computer device and in response, receiving configuration information for the computer device. The configuration information comprises configuration settings for configuring the computer device to allow said one or more transactions to be performed thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for automatically configuring a computer device, the method comprising:
 receiving an indication, that the computer device is not configured for a location; in response to said indication, performing:
 determining and sending a device profile including functional characteristics of the computer device to a central server; 
 in response to said sending, receiving configuration information from the central server for the computer device comprising a unique identifier and configuration settings based at least in part on the functional characteristics; and 
 configuring the computer device using the configuration information and the unique identifier to enable one or more device functions of the computer device based on the configuration settings. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device profile comprises at least one of: a device type, connected peripheral devices, and hardware attributes of the computer device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the indication is a broadcast signal or a multicast signal from a server located at the location of the computer device, indicating identification information for the location to facilitate configuration of devices at the location. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the unique identifier uniquely identifies the computer device for transactions at the location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a device type classification for the computer device based on determining from the functional characteristics, one or more connected peripheral devices and transmitting the device type to the central server in the device profile for determining the configuration settings. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the configuration settings determined using a mapping table between device type classifications and defined configuration settings for a given device type. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the indication further comprises a listener service listening for an incoming signal indicating a presence from the server of the location to a plurality of computer devices. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a prompt is presented to a user interface of the computer device to confirm that a location of the computer device has changed to the location and requesting confirmation of the device profile for the computer device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting, from the device profile, a change in at least one of: a location identifier or connected peripheral devices;   in response to the change, generating an updated configuration request to the central server; and   receiving updated configuration information for reconfiguring the computer device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the computer device further comprises enabling at least one function selected from: network communications, transaction handling, secure data entry, or device monitoring. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration information further comprises software application updates for one or more applications for performing transactions in compliance with one or more computing devices of the location. 
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for automatically configuring a computer device, the computer executable instructions being executable by a processor and when executed by the processor causes:
 receiving an indication that the computer device is not configured for a location;   in response to said indication, performing:   determining and sending a device profile including functional characteristics of the computer device to a central server;   in response to said sending, receiving configuration information from the central server for the computer device, comprising a unique identifier and configuration settings based at least in part on the functional characteristics; and   configuring the computer device using the configuration information and the unique identifier to enable one or more device functions of the computer device based on the configuration settings.   
     
     
         13 . A computer device for performing automatic configuration, the computer device located at a particular location of an entity, the device comprising:
 a storage device storing instructions;   a communications interface;   at least one processor in communication with the storage device and the communications interface, the at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:
 receiving an indication that that the computer device is not configured for a location; 
 in response to said indication, performing:
 determine and send a device profile including functional characteristics of the computer device to a central server; 
 in response to said send, receive configuration information from the central server for the computer device, comprising a unique a unique identifier and configuration settings based at least in part on the functional characteristics; and 
 configure the computer device using the configuration information and the unique identifier to enable one or more device functions of the computer device based on the configuration settings. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer device of  claim 13 , wherein the device profile comprises at least one of: a device type, connected peripheral devices, and hardware attributes of the computer device. 
     
     
         15 . The computer device of  claim 14 , wherein the indication is a broadcast signal or a multicast signal from a server located at the location of the computer device, indicating identification information for the location to facilitate configuration of devices at the location. 
     
     
         16 . The computer device of  claim 15  wherein the unique identifier uniquely identifies the computer device for transactions at the location. 
     
     
         17 . The computer device of  claim 13  wherein a device type classification for the computer device is generated based on determining from the functional characteristics, one or more connected peripheral devices and transmitting the device type to the central server in the device profile for determining the configuration settings. 
     
     
         18 . The computer device of  claim 17 , wherein the configuration settings determined using a mapping table between device type classifications and defined configuration settings for a given device type. 
     
     
         19 . The computer device of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 detecting, from the device profile, a change in at least one of: a location identifier or connected peripheral devices;   in response to the change, generating an updated configuration request to the central server; and   receiving updated configuration information for reconfiguring the computer device.   
     
     
         20 . The computer device of  claim 13 , wherein configuring the computer device further comprises enabling at least one function selected from: network communications, transaction handling, secure data entry, or device monitoring.